5 Things To Do for Self Care that are Simple & Life Changing
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That's why having a funk toolkit (i.e. your simple self care list) ready is so important. Whenever you are feeling stressed, overwhelmed or not like yourself - wakeup and do the below 5 self care activities. It is a tried and true method to feeling better.
This funk toolkit is comprised of simple things to do for self care - including self care things to do at home. I try to do these things everyday but that's not always possible and, sometimes, I fall off my routine. I ALWAYS come back to these and use them as my daily self care checklist until I am feeling confident and like myself again.
Next time you are in a funk, use this toolkit and you will be prepared with simple things to do for self care that will leave you feeling like yourself again.
This post is all about things to do for self care.
Best Things To Do For Self Care
#1 Monitor & Control Your Thoughts
What is the first thing that you comes to your mind when you wake up? Mental self care is important and there are many forms of mindfulness.
Take 5-15 minutes to meditate. Wakeup, focus your thoughts on gratitude and future goals; then, do your form of mediation. I keep it simple and do breathwork.
It is important for me to have a separate space where I can go to relax and meditate. (When I have tried to do this in my bed, I end up falling back asleep. Then - I wake up feeling worse because I have overslept and am usually groggy.)
I sit on my mediation pillow near a window (and usually bundled up in my favorite robe).
#2 Get Outside
Right once I am done meditating, I am onto my next self care activity - my morning walk. Grab your favorite sneakers (I live in my Hokas), a bottle of water (preferably a reusable bottle that is not made of plastic because chemicals!!) and go enjoy the fresh air.
In the morning, you should try not wear headphones. Just being with yourself and monitoring your thoughts can be a continued form of meditation to keep you calm and intentional.
Try to get outside again in the afternoon and then listen to your favorite podcast or audiobook.
Aim for 10k steps! It helps to have a path that you know will get you there. I live on a park and know that 2 laps 3x a day will get me to 10k. Routines, routines, routines. ;)
When it's sunny, I ALWAYS wear a hat to protect my face from the sun. I am obsessed (honestly, that's an understatement) with this visor. I love a visor because then your hair doesn't get as sweaty and, hopefully, doesn't ruin your blowout. This visor is made out of sun protection material, has a removeable sweat pad and an extra wide brim. I take it everywhere with me!
This is the easiest thing to do for self care and is the one I do the most often!
#3 Go Workout
Schedule time to workout. Preferably, book a workout class so that you are locked in and don't end up skipping it. I know that when I plan to workout at home, I often find that I keep pushing it back later and later in the day; then, I end not doing it. If you have to do at home, do it first thing in the morning.
My go-to workouts are pilates, yoga and dancing.
- I do pilates at Studio Lagree on a megaformer. It is a total body workout and you will leave aching in the best way possible.
- I do hot yoga in studio at 105F and on MelissaWoodHealth at home.
- I recently started doing rhythm based workouts at Common Language and they leave me feeling like my BEST SELF. (If I am being honest, I also dance in the shower or in my living room when I need movement and to feel good. It is such a mood booster. Highly, recommend you try it.)
Always listen to your body. When I am on my period, I tend to chose to do my self care at home. I rollout my yoga mat (non toxic because chemicals disrupt your endocrine system!) and grab my laptop to do MelissaWoodHealth.
If you're feeling extra sluggish, try doing a MWH mediation and then right after do one of her quick workouts. Doing things for self care when you are not feeling your best is not easy but it is when you need it the most. Even a short 5 minute mediation and easy 10 minute workout will make all the difference. You've got this!!
#4 Write in a Journal
Write. Write. Write.
Journaling is a self care activity that you can do anywhere. I do 2 forms of journaling:
1) Free writing
I am a huge fan of mind dumping when I am feeling lost, confused or overwhelmed. You start by writing the emotion that you are feeling (i.e. I write "I am _____" and fill in the blank). An example of this would be "I am overwhelmed" and then free write from there.
I learned to start my journaling by stating an emotion from the YIB Reconnected Course that I took with Jacq. I can't recommend her course enough! It was a game changer in how think about and talk to myself.
2) Manifestation writing
Write down in present tense (very important that it's not future tense!) and in detail your dream life. Don't hold back; nothing is too unrealistic. You should know where you want to go. You maybe saying to yourself that "I already know where want to go. I don't need to write it down." But I assure you that in writing the tiny details like what color your sheets are, what you eat for breakfast, how often you do X self care activity, etc you will learn more about what you want.
You are painting a picture in your mind and familiarizing your brain with new ideas (that are important to you!). It seems obvious but having a clear direction allows you to check in to see if you a living a life that is aligned with your dreams and goals. I do this once every few months. You will see that your goals will grow and evolve with you.
Honestly, it's also kind of cool to reflect back on. You can see all the progress that you have made and often overlook. ♥
Best Journals
My favorite blank journals are the Moleskine Classic Notebook and Moleskine Pocket Cahier Journal. They are both minimalistic and sleek. Moleskine has more variations in sizes and pages (lined, blank, dotted, squared etc.)
If you are looking for more guidance when journaling, the YIB Connection Journal has simple morning and evening prompts that allow you to check-in and reconnect with yourself. It's a 6 week journal and has weekly prompts in addition to the daily morning/evening check-ins.
I use all of these! I lean on the YIB Connection Journal when I can't shake a mood and need to reconnect. I use the Moleskine Pocket Cahier Journal when I am on the go and the Moleskine Classic Notebook for free writing. I have quite the collection of journals; some dating back to high school :).
#5 Read a Book
Fuel your brain and your creativity. The best way to get unstuck is to learn new ideas and look at your situation / challenge / problem from a different angle and with a renewed perspective.
Books - nonfiction and fiction alike - can be great distractions. They are also a great way to disconnect from screens.
Try reading before you go to bed. I usually have 1 fiction book that I am ready, along with at least 1 non fiction book. Some days, your brain maybe too tired for non fiction and you just want to read a fiction book mindlessly. When you're up to it, try to read a few pages of the nonfiction book before transitioning to the fiction book.
Best Fiction Books
- It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
- Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Best Nonfiction Books
- My Story by Marilyn Monroe
- The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene
- Feeling Good by David D. Burns
